A Guide to Smart Switch DIY Installation

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DIY smart switch installation is a process that demands you to consider various elements of your home. For instance, you have to determine your Wi-Fi’s network capacity and work comfortably with electrical devices and wiring around your home. Remember that although installing a smart switch in Singapore is one of the best ways of appraising your home with automation capabilities it requires much technical knowledge. Without this knowledge, your smart switches could end up malfunctioning and even become permanently damaged. In order to assist you, therefore, we have composed a complete guide on how to install smart switches in your home.

Turn Off Your Power Supply

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When installing a smart switch by yourself, turn off your main power supply just like you would when installing a smart bulb in order to ensure your safety. You will not want to cause an electrical fire or experience electrocution just because of a slight mistake. Make sure that the power supply is off by using a voltage tester to see if there is any wiring voltage remaining. You might need more time to re-organize your circuit breaker box in case it is poorly organised.

Expose The Wires Behind Your Switch

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After disabling your power supply, expose the wires connected behind the switch. You can fix this by unscrewing the wall cover and using elbow grease to expose any screws hidden by permanent paint. After that, remove the screws attaching the light switch and carefully pull it out from the wall. It is necessary to check your wall boxes to see if you have enough room to install your new smart light switch before proceeding with additional work. The bigger space, the better especially since most smart switches come with various electrical components which are quite large in size.

Identify The Neutral Wires

Before you install a smart switch or any other smart products, it is important to know when your home was built since most homes that were established before the 1980s do not include neutral wires. Although there are several light switches you can install without necessarily using such wires, the main issue with them is that they often have a high rating and may require a special bridge. In modern homes, however, neutral wires are typically white and cabled together while tucked together behind the wall box.

Neutral wires are not usually connected with other wires. A typical single-pole switch has at least two black wires connecting to the main switch, with one acting as the hot wire that supplies power to the switch and another acting as the load wire which distributes power in the form of light. Always remember that smart switches require neutral wires simply because they operate electronically. Any smart switch will have to communicate with a remote server, controller, or even a smart hub in order to perform commands.

Remove and Disconnect Your Old Switch

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It is necessary to take a clear photo of your wiring setup before removing the current switch to install your newly bought smart switch. This is because you might be required to go back to the initial connection. It is even better if you label each wire with a unique colour to avoid any confusion. Once you do this, you can remove the current switch and either dispose or store it for later use.

Connect The New Switch

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At this stage, you can install the new smart switch for your home. Depending on the wiring setup of your new switch, you can make a connection in four different ways.

  • Lead Wiring. Simply use wire nuts to connect the right wires. Take note however that this method has a risk of causing faulty wiring.
  • Side Wiring. Attach the wires to the power terminals before tightening the terminal screws.
  • Back Wiring. Place the wires into the terminal holes positioned at the back. Only employ this method if your wires are of the right size.
  • Clamp Wiring. Insert the wires of your new smart switch via the terminal holes positioned at the back and tighten the screws to secure the clamps and wires.

Integrate Your Smart Switch With Your Home Network

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For the last stage of this guide, simply integrate the newly installed smart switch for your home to the rest of your home network. All you need to do is download the corresponding app and include your device. Once you have successfully done so, you can now control your home’s lights either by hand, via PC, or through your smartphone.

Conclusion

As is the case when setting up a smart bulb, setting up a smart switch by yourself needs to be done carefully and in accordance with the proper guidelines, The first thing that you need to do is to turn off your power supply then expose the wires behind your switch. Once you have completed these steps you may now identify your neutral wires and disconnect the old switches to be replaced by the new switches. integrate your smart switch with your home network so you can control your home lights via your PC or smartphone.

In case you experience trouble setting up your smart switch yourself, do not hesitate to seek assistance from Smart Switch City Singapore. We can install your smart switches for you efficiently and without any delays.

Smart Switch City Singapore specializes in providing professional and reliable smart switch installation services. With a wide range of smart switch products and brands, customers will get choose the most suitable smart switch according to their needs. Our customer service support team is well-trained to provide practical recommendations and attend to your queries swiftly. To provide holistic service excellence to our customers, we have a team of highly experienced electricians to perform smart switch installation services. You may wish to read through our blogs and smart switch buying guide to learn more about the things you should take note of before installing smart switches. Do not hesitate to WhatsApp us at +65 8241 0032 if you have any queries on smart switches and we will be happy to assist!